1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to photo-imaging systems, and more particularly to a device for making multiple copies simultaneously and for overcoming mechanical jams and other problems in current machinery.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Levine, U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,568 describes a multiplexed electrostatic copier having plural separated scan stations for randomly receiving and scanning documents to be copied, and a common developing mechanism for electrostatically making copies of the scanned images, and identifying and delivering the copies to the proper user. Provision is made for simultaneous or sequential operation by the different scan stations and for on-line and off-line modes of operation to effectuate the multiplexing by the common developing mechanism.
Diedrich et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,073 describes an apparatus for the exposure of photosensitive plates on two sides, in particular for the preparation of printed circuits for electronic devices, comprising two similar exposure devices, mechanically connected and arranged adjacent to each other, each being equipped under a copying frame with an illuminating system, wherein a glass plate filling the format is arranged in the copying frame onto which a negative or positive master may be placed, together with a photosensitive plate above it, with a reversing station being associated with each of the exposure devices and both between each exposure device and the reversing station associated with it, and between the reversing stations a pivoting arm rotatable by 180 degrees each being arranged. The light source of each exposure device is arranged in or under the associated reversing station, wherein the beam of light may be conducted to the plate to be exposed of each exposure station. The first exposure device may be connected by means of a plate transport mechanism controlled by the exposure device with a stacking carriage. The second exposure device may be connected with a plate transport mechanism controlled by the exposure device for the removal of the exposed plates from the exposure device and their further transportation.
Asano, U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,532 describes a recording apparatus including a plurality of printers each for reproducing an image on a recording sheet upon receiving the same signal, and a single sheet delivering device for delivering recording sheets to the printers. The present invention also provides a recording apparatus including a plurality of printers each for reproducing an image on a recording sheet upon receiving the same signal, and a sheet discharge device for feeding the recording sheets from the printers to a collector or sorter.
Ogura et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,062 describes an automatic printing system including an array of printing devices arranged along a direction in which the printing member is fed, each of printing devices having a positioning mechanism for positioning the printing member, a feeding device for feeding a printing member to each printing device, a delivery device for picking up the printing member from the feeding device and bringing the printing member into engagement with the positioning mechanism, and a discharging device for discharging the printing member, which has been exposed by the printing device, from the printing device. The automatic printing system further includes a supplying device for storing printing members of different sizes and selectively supplying the printing members one at a time, a punching device for forming a positioning opening in the printing member supplied by the supplying device, and an automatic developing device for developing the printing member which has been exposed by the printing device.
Horie et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,640 describes an image recording apparatus including a plurality of recording modules for substantially simultaneously recording on recording sheets images according to image data supplied thereto, an image data supplier for supplying images to the recording modules, a sheet supplier for supplying the recording sheets to the recording modules, and sheet distributors for distributing the recording sheets thus supplied successively by the sheet supplier to the recording modules.
Silverbrook, U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,464 describes a parallel printing system which is particularly useful for colour laser printing. The system includes a source of video image data generally derived from a scanner or a graphics system, and a plurality of print engines that, substantially simultaneously, print images output from the source. The printing system also includes a parallel printing desynchroniser that interfaces the source with each one of the print engines and permits asynchronous operation of each of the print engines by having various data stores, a first of which receives synchronous data from the source, and a plurality of other stores, corresponding to each engine, which receive data from the first store simultaneously, and output that data in synchronism with the respective print engine.
Grenda, U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,831 describes a printer system which allocates various pages of a job to a plurality of individual printers that each print a different page of the job. The system is therefore capable of increasing the speed of the job without requiring a faster engine speed. The printer system includes a plurality of print engines, a sequenced stacking device, imaging electronics to create raster image signals suitable for the video input of the print engines and control electronics to direct these electrical signals to each of the print engines on a page by page basis and to control the stacking device to direct printed sheets to the output stack in proper sequence. The stacking device loads the print images into a single properly sequenced output stack at a speed of n.times.i images per minute, wherein n is the number of print engines used and i is the speed of a single print engine in images per minute.
Morita, U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,212 describes a printing system including a faceup printer and a facedown printer, the faceup and facedown printers are paired to print one document. In this case, the document is printed by the faceup printer from the end to start of the document and by the facedown printer from the start to end thereof. Printing ends when one printer is to print a page being printed by the other printer. Therefore, even if the printing speeds of the two printers are different, the whole document can be printed most efficiently. Even for a system having a larger number of printers, printing can be efficiently performed by similarly pairing the printers.
Fromson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,048 describes a method and system for provisioning program controlled switches in a public switched telephone network using a Recent Change Memory Administration Center wherein verbal orders to a business office are translated to machine language, delivered to the Recent Change Memory Administration Center, and processed into a first category of orders susceptible of automatic processing and entry into the intended switch, and into a second category of orders requiring manual processing. The second category of orders which require manual processing are first automatically processed to overlay orders directed to the same switch and local link connected to that switch. Following such automated order overlaying, the overlayed orders are manually processed and entered into the intended switch. Provision is made to deliver the data resulting from the manual processing to further processing to compare that data to the data actually entered into the switch. If the data has been correctly entered into the switch, a verbal indication that the service has been installed is verbally delivered to the customer.
Kitada, U.S. Pat. No. 6,075,928 describes a multi-function image processing system smooth in operation and high in reliability having the functions of a fax and a printer. An image is printed by a print engine, data are transmitted and received by a host interface and processed by a print data processing section which produces print data. The print data are transmitted to the print engine through a printer engine interface. The connection with the public line is controlled by a channel controller. On the other hand, an original is converted into image data by a reader, which image data are processed and print data produced by a fax controller. The print data are transmitted to the print engine by a fax engine interface. The transmission and receiving of the print data and the control data are arbitrated by an engine interface arbiter between the print engine interface and the fax engine interface on one hand and the print engine on the other hand.
The prior art teaches recording apparatus with a plurality of printers each for reproducing an image on a recording sheet upon receiving an optical signal, a sheet delivery device for delivering recording sheets to the printers and a sheet discharge device for receiving the printed sheets. The prior art also teaches parallel printing onto sheets from electronic signals received. The prior art further teaches the use of parallel printers to copy different sheets of a multisheet document in order to complete the printing task in an accelerated manner. However, because these prior art machines are complex, by necessity, in order to achieve their respective objectives, they tend to have more maintenance and breakdown problems as compared with simpler machines. The prior art does not teach a means for improved performance and superior up-time. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.